What I Watched -- Rashomon

The St. Louis County Library is doing a Classic Foreign Movie series, and L and I went to see Rashomon on Tuesday. Turns out that I don't think I've ever seen an Akira Kurosawa movie before, although Ran and Tora! Tora! Tora! have been on my to-watch list for quite some time.

Rashomon, set in 12th century Japan, is the story of the rape of a woman and the murder of her samurai husband, told from four different points of view. But the catch is this: you don't know, and never find out, what really happened in the woods that day. The stories come from the wife, the murderer, the dead samurai (through a medium), and a woodcutter who happens upon the scene.

The most interesting issue that arises in this movie is one of truth. Who is telling the truth? Who is lying? Maybe they are all telling the truth, but from their own points of view? Is one person right? If so, are the others then necessarily wrong?

Warning: there is not a lot of plot to this movie. You just keep seeing the same stuff over and over. Don't watch it when you're sleepy.